Icebreaker
by TheLostMaximoff
Summary: What if it wasn't Barry that helped Caitlin regain control of herself? What if it was someone who knew her just as well as he did?


Icebreaker

By TheLostMaximoff

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I loved that scene with Barry and Caitlin. I just think that it should have been Cisco's moment. R/R.

Barry and Cisco look at each other and realize the same thing. Wally is possibly dying. At the very least, his biochemistry is definitely not correct. He needs someone to help straighten out the mess and there's only one person who can do that. Caitlin has the experience with speedsters and the medical knowledge. The only problem is that Caitlin is so very far away from being herself right now. One of them has to talk to her and get her to listen to reason. She won't listen to anyone but one of them and they both know it.

"I'll talk to her," says Barry.

Cisco can see the guilt in his eyes. Barry is so hell-bent on fixing the mess that he created that he doesn't see the damage he's still doing. Caitlin isn't going to listen to him because he's the source of all her anger. If Barry tries to reason with her, he's only going to drive the wedge between her and them even deeper. Cisco knows he has just as much reason to hate Barry as Caitlin does. There will be time to sort that anger out later, to unpack it and try to put it in its proper place. Right now, he just wants to save his best friend while he still can. He was never angry with her anyway. She can shoot as many icicles at him as she wants, but it won't change how he feels about her. Maybe she needs to hear it, all the things that he should have told her. Maybe it's the only thing that's going to bring her back.

"You've done enough," says Cisco as he stops Barry from leaving the room. "I've got this, okay? Promise me that no matter what happens, you let me do this."

Barry makes an attempt to get by Cisco but Cisco's not budging. Barry only nods once he sees that Cisco is serious about this. Cisco takes that as the only affirmation he's going to get. He turns and makes his way to the Pipeline, knowing the path by heart. He considers this a good thing because his brain is way too busy with other things to guide him. He feels like he's going to throw up because he has no idea what to do. He tried fighting her and that didn't work at all. He tried reasoning with her and that did even less good. So what the hell is he supposed to do right now? How is he supposed to help her remember who she really is?

He can feel the sweat from his hands making the buttons on the console slippery. Cisco manages to get Caitlin's cell open without having a nervous breakdown. He considers this a good thing and braces himself. He has to hide how much this is breaking his heart. He has to be like her and keep everything inside. He knows that if he doesn't, she's going to manipulate him again. If she does that then everyone is screwed. He has a plan though. Barry's the one that broke everything. Barry's the one that she wants to kill and Cisco knows that he can use that. As much as it might hurt, he has to use her anger against her just like she tried to do to him.

Caitlin looks surprised, maybe a little amused. She was expecting Barry, almost relishing it in fact. She wants the chance to vent her anger at him once more. She wants to make sure he understands just how broken she is because of him. She has an unending reservoir of rage that she wants to unload on Barry but Cisco is different. Cisco confuses her. She wanted him to be on her side but she still doesn't know why. Why won't he just help her kill Barry? It's not as if he still cares about Barry. She made sure to shatter that friendship at the first chance she got.

"I'm letting you go," says Cisco as he clicks the buttons to open Caitlin's cell.

"That's very . . . nice of you," says Caitlin. "I'm curious now. What changed your mind?"

"We've hurt you enough," says Cisco as Caitlin cautiously steps out into the Pipeline. "You promised you'd leave us alone if we let you go. You plan on keeping your word?"

"I don't hurt my friends," states Caitlin, moving to get past him. "That is, of course, if I had any left. Goodbye, Cisco. Tell Barry I hope he has a miserable life."

"There's one thing you have to do before you leave."

Caitlin glares at Cisco as he steps in front of her and puts his hand on her shoulder to keep her back. She wonders if she should let him keep that hand or if she should freeze it off. If it was Barry, the choice would be very clear and he would be missing a hand. Again, Cisco confuses her. Cisco's always made her feel different. Ronnie always made her melt but he wasn't the only one that made her feel warm. Cisco made her feel loved and she needed that after Ronnie died. He kept her from freezing up but he can't help her anymore. None of them can.

"Get your hand off me while you still have it," she orders and Cisco complies. "I'm going to humor you because I think it might be amusing. What's the one thing I have to do before I leave?"

"You have to kill me."

Caitlin almost laughs. She feels it bubble up in her throat but it dies before it can escape her mouth. She wonders where the hidden cameras are because this is obviously one of Cisco's stupid pranks. He can't be serious. Maybe he is though. Maybe he doesn't want to live in a world without his brother. Caitlin doesn't understand this. Cisco always hated his brother. Why would he feel so sad because his brother is dead? Why is he able to feel the things that she can't feel?

"Seriously, Cisco? Quit screwing around and get the hell out of my way."

"I'm not screwing around, Caitlin. You want your freedom? Kill me and take it. That should be easy for you since I'm so pathetic, right? So go on then, kill your best friend just like you want to kill Barry."

"Now you're just pissing me off. That's really not a smart thing to do right now."

"You know you really suck at this whole 'super-villain' thing if you can't kill a defenseless man."

Caitlin feels the rage burn inside her, stinging the way dry ice does when someone touches it. Contrary to what any of them may believe, she wasn't originally angry at Cisco. He kept pushing her though just like he's doing now. He never knows when to stop because he's always been too immature to understand. He's always been so starved for affection that he does anything he can to get it. He wants a way out of this nightmare? Caitlin figures the least she can do is oblige her so-called best friend.

"I never hated you," says Caitlin as she forms a large icicle in her hand. "I just pitied you all this time. You're like a puppy that's been kicked too many times. You look at me with those big, sad eyes and think that you can still save me. You think you can make me melt just like Ronnie but you are so wrong. I'm coldhearted, Cisco. Nobody's going to save either of us."

"If I'm a kicked puppy then why don't you just put me down, Caitlin?"

Caitlin is almost shocked when Cisco grabs her wrist and moves the icicle so close to his heart that its tip is touching his chest. He glares into her eyes and she sees a resolve that she's never seen before. He's really going to let her do this. He's really going to die just to prove his point. She never thought he could be this stubborn about anything. She was always the one who wasn't flexible. She was always the one who wanted things to freeze so they would always stay the way they were. Now nothing is what it was. Everything is changing, her most of all. She feels like she's bouncing back and forth from hot and cold. She feels like she's tearing herself apart.

"You're making me do this." Caitlin tries to force her hand to move but, ironically, it's frozen. "Do you get that? This is your choice, not mine."

"I know. I'll tell Ronnie you still love him, okay?"

Caitlin can feel her hand shaking now. Hearing Ronnie's name brings up a horde of unwanted memories. Ronnie made her happy. Cisco and Barry make her happy. Here Cisco is, trying to save her life just like Ronnie would. He's warming her up when all she wants to do is freeze everyone out. She feels something in her heart break and the icicle slips out of her hand. It shatters on the floor and she feels the hot tears trickling from her eyes.

"Cisco."

Cisco doesn't realize he had been holding his breath all this time. He feels the rush of air leave his lungs as Caitlin hugs him harder than she's ever hugged anyone. He hugs her back equally hard. He's vaguely aware that both of them are crying and doesn't care. He tells himself that he's never letting her go.

"It's okay," he tells her and she believes him.

"I'm sorry," she tells him and she keeps repeating it because she doesn't know anything else to say.

"You're okay. Wally needs your help though."

"Okay." Caitlin nods, still refusing to let him go. "I'm going to need those power inhibitors."

"You're gonna have to let go for me to get them."

"That might be a little difficult."

"Take your time then," he tells her as he lightly kisses her on the cheek. "I promise I'm not going anywhere."


End file.
